


Felix Fridays

by ThePandaPopo



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Modern Era, Multi, Serenading, Song Challenge, Song Lyrics, Song fic, They're so in love it's disgusting, blacksmith felix, it's so fluffy I'm gonna die, love sick idiots, music lounge, no beta we die like Glenn, singer sylvain, song dedication, sweet enough to give me diabetes, youtuber sylvain
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26172277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePandaPopo/pseuds/ThePandaPopo
Summary: When Sylvain's music manager asks him to expand his singing style and repertoire, his friends give him some advice and he is suddenly struck by a stroke of genius.ORSylvain just wants any excuse to serenade his boyfriend because he needs the world to know how much he loves Felix Hugo Fraldarius.ORThe Blue Lion Music Lounge now has half priced fireball shots on Friday because of Felix.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro, Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	Felix Fridays

**Author's Note:**

> I had to hammer this out because this idea kept getting stuck in my head while I was writing a chapter for my other Sylvix fanfic.  
> Hopefully now my brain will finally let me focus.  
> The song used is Hanging by a Moment by Lifehouse.
> 
> Want to know my progress on fics? Check me out on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PopoWrites)
> 
> Sometimes [Tumblr](https://thepandapopo.tumblr.com/) will see a fic update before ao3, so be sure to follow me there as well!

It started, like a lot of things in their relationship, with Sylvain whining.

“ _Fe_. What am I gonna _dooooo_?” Sylvain moaned from his place on the workshop bench.

Long fingers tugged at crimson locks, the calloused fingertips from years of guitar scraping against his scalp and providing some sort of relief for the frustration that was bubbling up in the pit of his stomach.

“Don’t ask me, dummy. Ask your manager. She’s the one who told you to expand your vocal range and genre, not me.” Felix replied, his tone completely unbothered as he continued to draft up the design for his next project. The paper before him already boasted an excessive number of notes in the margin of the graphing paper, surrounding a sketch of an elegant medieval ceremonial sword.

“Fe. Love of my life. My muse.” That earned him a half-hearted glare and huff from his boyfriend. “You have to help me. I don’t even know where to start! Like, do I just start singing a bunch of songs outside of my normal genre? Or do I focus in on one style? What does Hilda even want?”

Slamming his scale ruler down, Felix turned his full attention to the older male. “I don’t care what you do. If your manager tells you that you should do it, then there’s probably a good reason. You like all types of music, so I don’t understand why this is such a difficult decision for you.”

Sylvain pouted. “But what if I decide on a genre and then start singing songs only to realize I don’t like that style, but then my audience is sold on it and wants me to put out more content like that?”

“Then tell them to go fuck themselves. You don’t sing for them.”

“Babe. Their patronship pays our bills.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Felix huffed and paused for a moment before adding, “and besides, even if they don’t like it, I make enough from my job to pay our bills too.” Gathering his papers, Sylvain watched him shuffle about the large space and gather a wide assortment of materials. Even after literal years of watching Felix work, it still amazed him to watch his boyfriend in his element. In his defense though, not everyone could say that their partner of three years and childhood best friend was a blacksmith. (“ _Blacksmithing_? So what, you like, forge weapons or something?” “Yes. Movie sets often need special commissioned works and that’s what I do.” “But like _, blacksmithing_?” “I don’t see what’s so hard to understand about this.”)

“Well, what did you mean then?” Felix was in the middle of pulling on his thick leather glove when he paused and shot a withering glare at Sylvain. He didn’t deign to provide a reply, but the light flush that crept up his neck was enough for Sylvain to connect the dots.

“Oh?” Sylvain grinned. Slinking out from behind the workbench, the ginger slipped a hand into silky indigo locks, loosening a few strands from the tight bun. “Do you mean to imply that _I sing for you_?”

“Shut up. Those were your words. Not mine.”

“Oh sweetheart,” Sylvain purred, his lips ghosting dangerously close to Felix’s own. “You know that I put my whole heart into singing. And that heart also happens to belong to you, so of course every song I sing is for you.” Sylvain bent down to nip at the creamy patch of skin above Felix’s neckline, earning him a hearty shove from the shorter male.

“You know the rules. Get out of my work area or get out of the forge.”

The glare Sylvain received was impressive, but not enough to dampen his now smug mood. “Aw, you know you like it when I flirt with you.” He winked.

“ _Sylvain_.”

He let out a loud laugh that echoed back at him in the vast room. “Okay, okay. I’ll get out of your hair, love.” Throwing a wave over his shoulder, Sylvain proceeded to shove his hands in his pocket and make his way out of the forge, weaving through random piles of unfinished products and scrap metal piled haphazardly around the floor.

“Sylvain.”

He paused and looked back to where Felix stood. The blacksmith bit his lip as if debating whether or not he wanted to speak his thoughts, but after moment, he seemed to make up his mind and Sylvain found himself on the receiving end of a piercing golden stare.

“You are a good singer. You should sing because you love it, and you should sing about things that you love. Stop being an idiot and don’t worry about what others think.”

If Sylvain’s eyes misted with tears, it was probably because of the sudden blazing heat emanating from the newly lit forge.

With a heart swollen with warmth and affection, Sylvain nimbly dashed up to Felix and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek before bolting away just as quickly as he came, dodging the angry swipe from the younger man for violating his workspace rules yet again.

“ _Get out.”_

“I love you too, Fe!”

\----

Tuesday nights at the Blue Lion Music Lounge were relatively quiet. Occasionally the door would chime with the arrival of a stray visitor seeking refuge from the cold bitter winter of Faerghus, but other than that, it was just the few regulars who came for the cozy atmosphere and good company of the bartenders.

“What’s with the long face?” Sylvain looked up from his laptop as Dorothea placed a drink on a coaster next to him. A quick glance told him that it was his usual order – a rum and coke.

“I don’t know what to do.” Dorothea rarely saw Sylvain express anything other than flirty cheerfulness, and the frustration that she saw now raised some more concerns that she would have liked to admit.

“Are you talking about what Hilda said the other night? About expanding your repertoire?”

“Specifically, my ‘vocal range’ and ‘genre’, I believe were her words.”

Dorothea grabbed a nearby glass and began polishing it absently with a cloth. “So, what’s the holdup? You listen to all kinds of music. It shouldn’t be too hard to just pick a song to cover and add it to your setlist.”

“It’s not that easy, Thea.”

“Of course it is. You’re a talented singer, Sylvain. You can sing just about anything but for some reason you’ve chosen to limit yourself only to top 40 pop songs.” Dorothea absently waved a manicured hand as she spoke, the low light from the bar illuminating the blood red of her nails. “Sure, it plays to your image well and your fan base loves it, but I can’t really think of a genre that actually doesn’t suit you.”

Sylvain hummed thoughtfully and sipped his drink. “But what if I end up hating that genre? Just because I can sing something doesn’t mean that I’ll enjoy it.”

The deadpan look he received could have withered flowers. “Then just sing something else next time, duh. Dimitri will make sure that you always have stage time here on Friday nights so you can literally sing whatever you want without worrying about losing your job.” She placed the now polished glass on the shelf behind her and paused for a moment. “Though I can’t say the same for your online viewers. You might lose some subscribers, but I’m sure it won’t be too bad.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Actually, maybe you won’t lose any subscribers at all. We all know that your subscribers are only there because they ship you and Felix.”

“Haha. Very funny.” The red head tipped the glass back and swallowed the rest of his drink, relishing in the warmth it stoked in his stomach.

“Sylvain.” Dorothea sighed. “It’s not a bad thing to challenge yourself once in a while. And before you say anything, I know for a fact that Felix has probably already given you a pep talk about not caring about what others think, and since you know he’s always right, just listen to him for once.”

Damn Dorothea and her ability to see through him. Literal years of friendship and instead of comforting words, and this was all he had to show for it? At least he got free drinks with the unsolicited advice, but that was more a perk of being the childhood friend of the owner and the Lounge’s resident singer.

Silently, dropped his head to rest on his forearms against the bar, mulling over Dorothea’s words and watching the snow fall just outside the front window.

Suddenly, he jolted up causing Dorothea to startle and curse, nearly dropping the shot glass she was holding.

“ _Wait_. You said **challenge** , right?”

“Uh, yes?” The former songstress could literally see the gears turning in Sylvain’s head as he hastily gathered his laptop and phone from the counter.

“Thea. You are a genius!”

“Wait. What?”

Sylvain didn’t bother answering her as he shrugged on his winter coat and dashed out the front door, not even blowing his customary goodbye kiss that he usually did.

Thanking his lucky stars for his friends’ endless patience, Sylvain hurried down the block towards his shared apartment with Felix. He felt giddy with excitement as he began making plans in his head for the next week and a half.

After all, he was going to be very busy if he wanted to pull off this little stunt.

\----

“’ _Felix Fridays’? Are you insane?”_

Sylvain jammed his cell phone between his shoulder and ear as he stirred the pot of curry that he had simmering on the stove.

“Nope. 100% serious.”

“ _You’re committing to learning a new cover every week in a different style that you’re used to. Don’t you think that’s a little too much?”_ It wasn’t like Ingrid didn’t believe in him. In fact, Sylvain was willing to bet that the weekend bartender at the Blue Lion had no doubt in his abilities.

“I appreciate the concern, Ingrid. But seriously though, I’m feeling pretty confident about this. I know it’s going to be hard on the band, but they’ve stuck with me long enough that I know they can handle it.”

“ _And what about Felix? How does he feel after your public declaration that you’ll be literally publicly serenading him every Friday?”_

Surprisingly, his boyfriend had taken it much better than he had thought.

Granted, ‘better’ was a relative term, and in Fraldarius speak, it basically meant that he only blew up at him once, then gave him the silent treatment until that night when he slipped under their sheets and relented to Sylvain’s apologetic cuddles.

“He’s on board with it.”

The speaker crackled with Ingrid’s snort. “ _Yeah right. I’m sure that Felix, the person who would rather live in the middle of nowhere than in civilization, was ‘on board’ with it.”_

“What can I say? I make a pretty convincing argument.” He laughed.

“ _Ugh. Ew. I don’t need to know the details of your sex lives_.”

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“ _Please stop_.”

Turning the stove off, Sylvain grabbed two plates and began dishing out the curry and rice. The sheer amount of spices wafting up from the bubbling pot was enough to make his eyes water, but that was exactly how Felix liked it. Sylvain had learned long ago that if he could still feel his tongue and lips, then he clearly had not spiced it enough for Felix’s standards.

“ _But seriously though, Sylvain. You made it a pretty big deal and all, putting out an unscheduled video announcement like that. The lounge is going to be absolutely packed. You’re still planning to record your performance to upload to YouTube later, right?”_

“Yup. I’m planning to only record the one new cover song for my upload though. I’m not doing completely new setlists each time; that would be way too much, even for me. I’ll just do my regular rotation of songs but then change up my closer each week.”

Ingrid sighed and Sylvain could practically feel her exasperation through the phone. “ _I still can’t believe you told everyone that you’re dedicating all your songs to Felix. The challenge part of it, I get; I know Hilda has been meaning to get you to switch up your performances for a while, but you could have done without the whole love declaration bit_.”

“You can thank Felix himself for that idea,” Sylvain laughed. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told him that Felix would be home soon. “He told me to sing about things that I love, and on my list of things that I love, Felix happens to be number one.”

“ _God, you two are disgusting. What happened to my best friends who were so emotionally constipated that they couldn’t even recognize that they’ve had crushes on each other since they were toddlers?”_

“Sorry. The only emotionally constipated guy you’ll have to deal with from now is Dimitri.”

“ _Pass on that. It would be easier to convince Ferdinand to stop announcing his full name to every person he meets than convince Dimitri that Dedue is more than just a ‘really close friend’_.”

Ingrid was right. Dedue had recently become a regular at the Blue Lion lounge and it was painfully obvious that the blonde owner had developed something of a crush on the large man. Regardless of the amount of paperwork sitting on his desk in the back, Dimitri would always come out to attend to Dedue himself, even if it meant he stayed later past closing to finish his duties.

 _He is enjoyable company; he’s just a really close friend_ was the excuse that he gave every time their group of friends brought up the topic, but when he finally ordered Dorothea, Ingrid, and all the other part time barkeepers to retrieve him from his office when Dedue was in, that excuse fell apart quickly.

If Dimitri and Dedue were ‘really close friends’, then Sylvain and Felix were just ‘roommates’.

“Poor guy. He’ll figure it out one day.” Sylvain laughed.

The soft click of the front door unlocking announced the long-anticipated arrival of his dear boyfriend. If the weary trudge of his boots were anything to go by, Sylvain would bet his entire vinyl record collection that it had been a long day for Felix.

“Gotta go, Ingrid. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He hung up quickly, not bothering to wait for a reply.

Sylvain turned to beam at Felix. The snowflakes that had decorated his hair when he first entered the apartment were now melted, leaving behind beads of water that glittered like crystals. Despite the heavy set scowl on his face, Sylvain would have still called him beautiful beyond compare. Pale cheeks stained red from the cold and now the warmth of the apartment only served to highlight the sharp amber eyes that saw through any façade.

“You made curry?” Felix walked over to the table and pulled out one of the seats.

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear, Sylvain leant down to press a soft kiss to his temple. “Yep. Consider it as a continuation of my apology.”

“Hmph. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you that easily.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Guess I’ll just have to keep spoiling you a little bit longer then.”

Felix snorted and dug into his food; a comfortable silence falling over the two. If this had happened at the beginning of their relationship, Sylvain would have started rambling to fill the space between them; but after all the years they had under their belt now, it was easier to accept the idea that Felix sometimes liked the silent company more than the conversations.

That wasn’t to say that Felix didn’t like conversing with him. In fact, Ingrid had told Sylvain that she heard from Lysithea who had heard from Annette (their friends were too invested in their relationship for their own good) that Felix actually liked talking to Sylvain. Even if he didn’t know what to say half of the time.

“Have you chosen a new song for this Friday yet?”

Felix gathered their now empty plates and moved to place them in the sink which he promptly began filling. The least he could do was wash the dishes since Sylvain had cooked.

“Yep! It’s gonna be a difficult one. I didn’t realize how much it pushed my vocals until I seriously started trying to nail it down, but I really liked the song itself so I stuck with it.”

“Oh? What song did you pick?”

“Not telling.” Felix threw him a frown and Sylvain couldn’t help but grin. “It’s supposed to be a surprise, babe. How can I serenade you if you’re expecting it? It would take all the romance out of it.”

“You know I don’t care about the romance,” Felix grumbled, placing another dish on the drying rack that already held a precarious stack of dishes. “Just promise that you won’t make me sit on a stool in the middle of the stage or something.”

“Well, _now_ I won’t.”

“You’re an insufferable idiot.”

Sylvain moved behind Felix so that he could slip his arms around his waist, pulling him into loose hug. “Yeah, but I’m your insufferable idiot so that makes it okay.” Laying a cheek on the crown of Felix’s head, Sylvain inhaled a lungful of his favorite scent in the world: a mixture of Felix’s shampoo and the stubborn scent of smoldering metal that never seemed to go away no matter what products Felix used to bathe.

Felix remained silent, instead choosing to finish up the dishes. To the untrained eye, no one would have suspected that anything was off with the younger male, but from a lifetime spent watching and observing, Sylvain could tell that Felix’s legs were stiffer than usual and his shoulders were slightly hunched in.

“Fe,” Sylvain reached up a palm to cup Felix’s cheek and turn it to face him. “I promise I won’t make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about my announcement video earlier to warn you, but I was just so excited to sing something new… for you.”

“I’m… not upset. Just a little nervous.” Felix mumbled, refusing to make eye contact with him, instead opting to stare at the soapy suds that were now swirling down the sink drain. “I know you won’t put me in your videos, but I just… I dunno. I’m worried that your fans won’t like it or something. I know how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are, and I don’t want to be the reason that hard work fails.”

“Fe. You’re the reason I became successful to begin with. You encouraged me to pursue my dream and you gave me a roof over my head when I was making next to nothing. I love my job, but I would trade it all in a heartbeat for you.” Sylvain didn’t know what expression he was making right now, but from the soft gasp and vulnerable look on Felix’s face, he was pretty sure that he was wearing what Felix dubbed his ‘disgustingly sappy’ look.

“You are my muse, Felix. Without you, there is no music.”

“…Shut up.”

Sylvain was only too eager to oblige as he moved to meet Felix’s lips halfway.

\----

Perhaps it was the shorter periods of daylight from the Faerghus winters, but the days leading up to Sylvain’s first Felix Friday performance seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

Between finishing up his latest commission for a medieval knight themed TV show shooting in southern Adrestia and Sylvain spending every waking moment practicing with the band members at the Blue Lion, Felix was very much looking forward to Friday night where he could finally see Sylvain for longer than the half hour they spent together before bed, even if that meant that he would have to suffer a crowded establishment and his well meaning, but nosy friends.

“Hey Felix! Over here!”

Felix grumbled as he shoved his way through the crowd in the dimly lit room, taking off his scarf and coat as he moved. With the sheer number of bodies crammed into the various seats and on the standing tables near the small dance floor, the temperature was near sweltering.

“Goddess, is it just me, or are there twice as many people as there normally are?” Annette took his clothes and dumped them into the pile they had going in the corner of their usual private booth situated on the elevated platform directly opposite of the stage.

“Well considering Sylvain decided to send an open invitation to all of Fodlan, I’d say yes. Yes, there are a lot more people than usual here.” Lysithea groused from where she was sandwiched between Ashe and Petra.

“I’m going to get a drink before I sit down.” Felix turned to make his way to the bar and felt his stomach sink a little at the sea of people obstructing his path.

Behind the bar, Felix watched as Ingrid, Dorothea, and Leonie rushed back and forth trying to keep up with the customers that were swarming around them. Deciding to hang back for a little and wait for a lull in the line, Felix hovered to the side until Ingrid finally caught his eye after sending a man off with six bottles of beer.

“Felix! Sorry I can’t chat, we’re super busy tonight. Just the usual?” She was already puling out the liquor for his usual gin and tonic. Instead of answering, he simply slapped a bill onto the counter and nodded in thanks when she slipped him his drink.

On his way back to the table, Felix saw the other employees of the Blue Lion littering the floor as they prepped for the main event tonight. Caspar and Raphael were easy enough to spot by the door, both of their hulking figures clearly intimidating and making most troublemakers think twice about messing with the bouncers. Linhardt sat in his usual spot behind the sound system and was somehow amazingly half asleep despite the loud buzz of conversation and low but steady beat of the background music. Beside him, Bernadetta and Lorenz manned the lighting board and were frantically flicking switches and doublechecking a clipboard that no doubt held their lighting cues.

On the stage, Ignatz puttered around setting up the various cameras that were set to film the performance. Occasionally he would tap a mic and look to Linhardt for a thumbs up before moving on to the next rig.

Tonight was an important performance, and everyone was working hard behind the scenes to make sure that it went off without a hitch.

Damn them for making Felix want to buy them all a thank-you drink after the show.

By the time he made it back to his table, there were a few new additions to their group.

“Took you long enough,” Hilda rolled her eyes good naturedly and moved out of his usual center seat. “Kept it warm for you.” She laughed and winked at him.

“Ugh. That’s gross.”

“So, how’s the man of the hour feeling?” Claude piped up from his perch on a stool that he dragged over from a nearby counter. “Ready to have your boyfriend sing his heart out for you in front of all these people?”

“I think it’s so romantic,” Mercedes smiled. “It’s a sweet gesture and I know Sylvain was very excited to perform tonight.”

“Yeah, and Dimitri is clearly leaning into the hype.” Lysithea snickered as she pointed towards a little laminated stand on the table. “There’s a Felix Friday special on here tonight only. Fireball shots half price – Felix’s favourite.”

If looks could kill, there would have a been a massacre.

He was about to throw out a snarky reply when the lights dimmed and cheers arose from the crowd as the performers made their way onto the stage.

In that moment, Felix was grateful that he had a drink in hand although it did nothing for his throat that had suddenly gone dry.

Sylvain had gone all out with his outfit tonight – the white button up clung to his broad chest like a second skin that Felix swore turned see-through whenever the lighting flashed over them. In his typical style, Sylvain left the top two buttons undone, the open collar framing prominent, very bite-able (confirmed many times from experience) collarbones and the top of his ridiculously defined pectorals. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbow as usual and even from a fair distance away, Felix could literally see the muscles in his arms flex as he adjusted his mic stand.

And those pants.

Those stupid, should-be-illegal maroon pants. They were the same pair that he had worn on his first date with Felix. The ones that did not require anyone to have an imagination since there was _nothing left to imagine._

Felix didn’t know if he wanted to punch Sylvain in the face or kiss him. That asshole knew exactly what he was doing when he picked out that outfit. It was a calculated move and Felix fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

A bright gleam caught in the light as the singer looked directly at Felix and winked.

That fucker was even wearing the custom designed sword necklace he made him.

“Good evening, Lions!!” Sylvain’s mic’d voice was nearly drowned out by the explosive cheer that followed.

“Thank you all for coming here tonight,” Sylvain let his eyes roam the crowd and he flashed a saccharine sweet smile. “As you all know, tonight’s performance marks the inauguration of my Felix Fridays challenge where each week I learn a new song in a different genre or style than my usual, and then perform it as my closing number.”

“And as for the name… well,” he laughed. “I suppose it’s pretty self explanatory that each song I choose will be dedicated to the love of my life, Felix.” For a moment, Felix locked gazes with Sylvain, and even though Sylvain didn’t throw any flirty gestures his way, that instant was more than enough to stoke the heat that was steadily growing in his belly.

If Felix somehow made it to the end of Sylvain’s set without spontaneously combusting, he would consider it a win.

\----

Whether it was the enthusiasm of the larger than usual audience, or if it was Sylvain’s excitement for his final number, the performance went off better than ever before.

There were times that Felix could literally feel the floor and overall structure of the building shaking with the beat and jumping of the crowd. The tiny dancefloor was packed to the brim with sweaty bodies that moved fluidly to the music, only ever pausing when Sylvain called out requests to hype up the crowd even more.

The bar remained barraged with a constant flow of customers and at some point, Dimitri himself had made his way behind the counter to help alleviate the load.

By the time the band had reached the long awaited final song, Sylvain’s artfully tousled hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat, the stands hanging limply that would have made a lesser man look like a drowned mess, but somehow just made the ginger look more alluring.

Sylvain reached down to grab the bottle of water sitting near the foot of his mic stand and took a long swig. His chest was rising and falling rapidly as his lungs heaved to bring more oxygen to his body.

All in all, Felix didn’t think Sylvain had ever looked more alive.

“Alright folks, it’s that time you’ve all been waiting for.”

Cheers erupted across the room in an ear-splitting crescendo.

“I really hope you all like this last song. I thought a lot about what I wanted to sing, and I wanted to make sure that I picked a song that would not only describe what this challenge means to me, but also how grateful I am for my boyfriend who has supported me through thick and thin, and keeps pushing me to be the best I can be.”

Sylvain’s voice gradually decreased to a murmur, as if his admission was a secret that he was reluctant to share. For a heartbeat, everything stood still, and silence reigned as Sylvain took a deep shuddering breath that echoed quietly in the speakers.

When Sylvain finally lifted his eyes from the ground, bright brown eyes turned molten from dedication and love pinned Felix to his seat, and he felt his heart seize.

“This one’s for you, Fe.”

\----

Darkness descended on the room; the only light coming from the backlights of the stage. A laid back but steady guitar line began playing and the lights followed the swell of the music.

_I'm desperate for changing  
Starving for truth  
I'm closer to where I started  
I'm chasing after you_

The low scratchy timbre of Sylvain’s voice sent shivers down Felix’s spine.

 _Gods_. He recognized that husky tone.

It was the same tone that Sylvain used on those nights spent groping in the darkness with nothing but heat between their bodies, but it was the first time Felix had heard him sing with it.

_I'm falling even more in love with you  
Letting go of all I've held onto  
I'm standing here until you make me move  
I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

As the song picked up, the crowd began to get more into it. If Sylvain had any doubts about his song choice or new style, they were quickly eradicated by the completely enamored expressions of the audience.

_Forgetting all I'm lacking  
Completely incomplete  
I'll take your invitation  
You take all of me now_

Honey brown locked onto hard amber and the stage blazed to life in a burst of light as Sylvain rose to power into the chorus.

_I'm falling even more in love with you  
Letting go of all I've held onto  
I'm standing here until you make me move  
I'm hanging by a moment here with you  
I'm living for the only thing I know  
I'm running and not quite sure where to go  
And I don't know what I'm diving into  
Just hanging by a moment here with you_

Felix couldn’t breathe.

Maybe it was the way Sylvain’s gaze never strayed away from his own as he sung his heart out, or maybe it was the way that he reached out with his hand as if presenting his very soul on this driving melody; but regardless of what it was, Felix felt as though all the air had been stolen from his lungs, leaving him light headed and his heart pounding with the rhythm of the bass.

_There's nothing else to lose  
There's nothing else to find  
There's nothing in the world  
That can change my mind  
There is nothing else  
There is nothing else  
There is nothing else_

As the bridge began to wind down, so did the tremors in the floors and the room returned to a low simmering energy ready to explode at any minute.

_I'm desperate for changing  
Starving for truth  
I'm closer to where I started  
I'm chasing after you_

This was it. The final stretch. Sylvain’s throat had definitely seen better days and he slightly regretted how little time he gave himself to practice this new voice, but the raw vulnerable look that Felix had on his face was more than enough motivation to send him barreling into the final climax of the song.

_I'm falling even more in love with you  
Letting go of all I've held onto  
I'm standing here until you make me move  
I'm hanging by a moment here with you  
I'm living for the only thing I know  
I'm running and not quite sure where to go  
And I don't know what I'm diving into  
Just hanging by a moment here with you_

_Just hanging by a moment (here with you)  
Hanging by a moment (here with you)  
Hanging by a moment (here with you)  
Hanging by a moment here with you_

The cheers that rose from the crowd hit Sylvain like a brick wall and he had to take a step back to steady himself. If the reaction he received for his other songs was loud, then the screams and applause for this song would be considered absolutely deafening.

Sylvain felt himself flush with pride as he watched the crowd go wild. His eyes flickered over the faces of the audience and felt giddiness swell in his chest when he recognized the familiar faces of his friends. From behind the sound booth, Linhardt flashed him a lazy thumbs up while Ignatz beamed and applauded enthusiastically. Benadetta was slumped over the lighting console while Lorenz began flicking switches to return the lighting back to normal. Caspar and Raphael were finally taking a well deserved break by the bar where Dimitri, Leonie, Ingrid and Dorothea all stopped their service in order to cheer along with the crowd.

Up near the private booths, the rest of his friends stood whooping wildly and screaming all sorts of praise over the still going applause.

As full as his mind and body felt with pride and happiness, there was one person’s reaction that he needed to see to truly make him believe that the past week of grueling rehearsal had been worth it. Sylvain blinked rapidly as he tried to adjust to the now much dimmer lighting, his eyes searching for a face that he would recognize even if he was blind.

_Did you like it, Fe?_

There, sitting down in his chair like the oddball out with his hands clutched tightly around a glass of clear liquid that Sylvain was willing to bet was a gin and tonic, was Felix Hugo Fraldarius in all his calm, muted glory.

Several emotions flickered across his face in rapid succession and Sylvain felt his breath hitch before Felix finally settled on an emotion. In the darkness of the lounge, Sylvain saw one of the rare, genuine smiles that he loved so much; the one that softened the usual hard lines of Felix’s face and left his eyes sparkling like the rarest gold.

_I loved it, Syl._

And that was more than enough for Sylvain.

**Author's Note:**

> I promise one day I'll come back to edit this lol
> 
> Want to know my progress on fics? Check me out on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PopoWrites)
> 
> Sometimes [Tumblr](https://thepandapopo.tumblr.com/) will see a fic update before ao3, so be sure to follow me there as well!


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